Beauty in the Breaking
by Nevar23
Summary: Jaq was very, very good at his job of breaking Jedi - so good that he gets the attention of Revan and Malak. Pre-KotOR Jaq. Be aware that this story is rather dark, just like Jaq.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N - Pre-KotOR Jaq. Warning: Here be loose interpretations and deliberate ignoring of Canon._

* * *

Jaq pulled his boots on and sat for a moment longer on the bed, head bowed, wondering what the hell the Darth Duo wanted from him. When he'd received the summons he fully grasped just why it was that people shoot messengers. If there was one message, one summons he didn't want this was it, even though he knew it was almost inevitable that it would come. He'd been quite content to stay off their radar, but now... now he was right smack in the middle of it with a huge target on his head.

He stood and went to the side table, putting his leather gloves on. He sheathed his knife, holstered his blasters, then donned his long coat, each item a layer in this persona he'd created. It had been about survival, in the beginning anyway. It still was, but now it was second nature. He glanced in the mirror, adjusting his belt. Though he cut an impressive figure, it wasn't the weapons that inspired fear and intimidation. Nope, that was all him. He flexed his neck back and forth a few times, mentally performing the necessary attitude adjustment that was by now a ritual. _No weakness, no fear, no mercy_.

The hallway was mostly empty when he left his quarters, save for a few patrol guards who nodded as he passed. His boots made a satisfying and recognizable rhythm on the marble floors, causing the few heads he did see to turn and quickly look away. No one wanted to interact with him and that was just the way he liked it. He had carefully cultivated a _do not approach_ reputation amongst the denizens of the Academy. When you weren't a Force user and you were surrounded by Dark Jedi, you used whatever advantage you could come up with. Avoiding others was his modus operandi. Well, that and unexpected, creative and overwhelming violence.

Before he turned the last corner, he paused for a second, steeling himself for whatever may lay on the other side of the doors he would soon arrive at. Worst case scenario: the gig was up and he would be killed, slowly. And probably creatively. He took a deep breath and continued on.

A Dark Jedi guard stepped in front of him a few paces from the door, offering a challenging glare.

"Why are _you_ here?"

Jaq took another step into the Jedi's personal space, until he was just inches away from him.

"I was invited." He smiled his most acidic smile.

The Jedi scowled and started to say something but was cut off when the door opened and his Master's voice called out.

"Come in, Jaq," Revan said, the familiar warmth setting him immediately on edge.

He left the Jedi there silently fuming and approached Revan. _Lord_ Revan, he reminded himself. He bowed like a good little soldier. Malak, meanwhile, tried to skull fuck him with his eyes. Malak was more violent and unpredictable than she was, and if there was any truth to the gossip, he and Revan were a little more than bad ass buddies. He'd have to watch himself.

Revan rose from her chair and approached him. He cast his gaze downward, both out of respect and because looking at her was distracting. He was already nervous and wanted to keep his wits about him. His heart was thumping like a malfunctioning hyperdrive all the same.

"So this is our Jaq. I thought it was about time we met," she said.

"It's an honor, Lord Revan," he replied. They'd actually met briefly before but apparently she'd forgotten. Not surprising, really. He'd been newly drafted into the Elite Ops division of Sith, Incorporated and she'd visited and reviewed them during training. They were face to mask for all of two seconds.

She walked around him once before continuing. "Our ranks swell with fallen Jedi thanks to you. Most impressive."

"They call you the Juggernaut for good reason," Malak piped in. "They say you're almost as good at breaking Jedi as I am."

Jaq didn't miss a beat. "Well, you know how they exaggerate."

"Perhaps. Still, your accomplishments are made more remarkable by the fact that you are not a Force user. One day you'll have to tell me your secrets. I can't have a mere Operative best me at my favorite game."

"Of course, though I'm sure there's nothing I could offer that you don't already know," he replied, wondering how to avoid it.

Malak seemed placated by his show of humility. He inwardly rolled his eyes. _What a pretentious ass_. Revan's laughter startled him. _Shit! Way to go, Jaq._ He glanced up at her. When their eyes met, he heard her in his mind.

"_He is a pretentious ass sometimes._" Her eyebrow arched and her eyes betrayed her amusement.

He had no idea how to proceed. He knew it was pointless to try his usual battery of distractions to keep Jedi out of his mind. Revan would walk right through them.

"_Relax, Jaq. Your secrets are safe,_" she silently assured him before speaking to him normally. "There is a Jedi that I want. I'm considering sending you after her." Just like that, she was all business, her tone and her eyes hard and cold.

"Just give me a name and she will be yours," he said matter-of-factly.

"Such confidence!" Malak said with a derisive laugh. "Careful, boy. Some would take your arrogance as a challenge."

He paused, considering his reply carefully. "Confidence, arrogance… I guess it's a matter of perspective." His peers – and he used the term very loosely because in his mind he had no peers – they called him arrogant out of sheer envy. They would never be able to match his numbers. Malak's eyes resumed their skull-fuckery, like he was trying to bore holes through him.

"Confidence is one thing, but I expect no less than perfection," Revan said. "If I do not get it, the repercussions will be severe."

"Then let me show you perfection," he replied, surprised by his own boldness. Maybe it was the challenge, or the fact that she seemed to question his ability. Whatever it was, he didn't care. He wanted this mission. It had been two weeks since his last one and he was itchy to exercise his talents.

Revan narrowed her eyes and took measure of him, looking for any sign of weakness or duplicity.

"I will think on it. Go. I'll send for you should I decide to trust you with the mission."

As much as he wanted to, he didn't question her decision, or lack of a decision. He nodded and took his leave, feeling their eyes on his back all the way to the door.

* * *

A day and a half passed with no word and he was beginning to think he'd been passed over for the mission. Whoever it was that took his place would not succeed. He would make damn sure of that. He was looking out the window at the storm clouds on the horizon, idly twirling his favorite knife in his fingers and wondering who he was going to have to kill when the message came in ordering him to report to Revan.

He strode into her chambers, cutting his eyes at the guard, who glared at him with his hand on his lightsaber as he passed. Revan sat at the table, pouring over various datapads and star maps. Malak was no where to be seen. Jaq stood at half attention, hands clasped behind his back and waited for her to acknowledge him.

While he waited, he stole glances at her. She looked more like a school girl than a Dark Lord at the moment. Her skin bore few of the usual markings of the Dark Side, mostly just an exaggerated paleness, more noticeable because of her black hair which was rebelling at the confines of the ponytail she wore. His eyes were drawn to and lingered on the curve of her neck, his favorite part of a woman. His self-preservation instinct reminded him that he was oogling his Master, the Dark Lord of the Sith. She could crush him with a thought. He averted his eyes and began a mental game of Pazaak, his default technique for distracting himself and keeping Jedi out of his mind.

"That's a clever trick, Jaq," she said without looking up. "Who taught you that?"

"No one, Lord Revan," he replied, mentally crushing the urge to flinch. "It's something I taught myself. The E-Ops training helped me put a finer point on it, though."

She didn't respond, the silence stretching on and becoming heavy. He stood for a good five minutes before she decided he'd waited long enough.

"Leave us. I'm not to be disturbed," she said to the guard, who bowed and backed out of the room. When they were alone, she raised her eyes to his. "Are you familiar with the Enclave on Dantooine?"

"Somewhat. We've studied holos, and I've seen it from the outside, but I've never been inside." As his training dictated, he preferred to isolate his targets outside of the Enclaves. Anonymity was vital to his job, not to mention the fact that his odds of success dropped substantially when there were more than two Jedi around.

"Come," she beckoned him over to the table then pulled up an image on the holo. "This is your target."

He stared at the image of a human female. She was young, blonde and looked utterly innocent, his favorite kind of mark.

"Her name is Marisa Tal. She has a unique talent, one that I covet."

"What is it?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Revan ignored his inquiry. "She's confined to the Enclave." She sat back in her chair and looked up at him. "Your job is to infiltrate the Enclave, kidnap her, then break her."

"Infiltrating the Enclave will be a challenge," he thought aloud. "I'm good, but there are some mighty powerful Masters at that Enclave. They'd nail me for sure. Unless you'd like me to gas the ventilation system or something."

"It won't be an issue," she replied cryptically.

"What's the time frame?"

"I am anxious to acquire her, but take as long as you need to do it right."

That was just the answer he was hoping for.

She stood up, facing him. "So, you know the mission and what is expected of you. Can you do it?"

He answered without hesitation. "When do I leave?"

"Not quite yet. Come with me." He followed her through a door into yet another oblong room just like the one they'd left. Then he noticed the huge bed. Well, this was an interesting and potentially dangerous development. He silently prayed that Malak didn't drop in.

Revan went to the long table at the foot of the bed. He couldn't see exactly what she was doing, but she appeared to be unwrapping something. When she'd finished she walked over to him and looked into his eyes.

"You are very interesting, Jaq. I feel there are things we could teach each other."

A few replies went through his head, but he didn't want to assume anything. Too risky. He decided to treat it as a rhetorical statement and not respond yet. He felt a bit like a gizka being stalked by a rancor as she circled him, drifted back to the table and picked something up.

"How have you survived this long?" she asked.

"Uh, in general, or...?"

"Here, I mean. I'm sure you're aware of the high turnover rate of Operatives in your division."

He cleared his throat. Oh, he was very, _very_ aware of it, with every breath he took.

"In my line of work, you get pretty good at pinpointing people's weaknesses – physically and emotionally – within a very short period of time." He shrugged. "Other than that, I don't make friends, I watch my back, I'm very fast and I'm very lucky."

She smiled. "I must say, your attitude is refreshing. Usually I deal with groveling fools who would say anything to please me. It's a shame you're not more attuned to the Force. Here, take this," she said, producing what she'd been holding behind her back.

_More_ attuned? His brow faintly dipped as he turned that over in his mind. It was probably nothing. Just a figure of speech or something. He took the aurodium torque and examined it, finding two crystals in each end.

"It will help to mask your presence while you are in the Enclave."

It was a serious piece of jewelry, probably worth a fortune, but he was skeptical. Even with a powerful stealth generator a Jedi Master could smell you a mile away.

"What does it do?"

"They will dampen your Force signature, make you less likely to cause fluctuations or attract attention."

"They?"

"I'm having something else brought from the archive that will enhance the power of the torque. I will send it and the other supplies along soon." She sat down on the bed and began untying her robe. "That will be all for tonight, Jaq."

After catching the briefest flash of skin, he quickly cast his gaze downward. That was a calculated move on her part if he ever saw one. Effective, but calculated.

"Thank you, Lord Revan." After a formal nod and a hint of a smile, he headed for the door.

"You say you're good at detecting weaknesses in others. Tell me, what is your weakness?" she asked as the door opened.

"Me? I'm a perfectionist," he said. The sound of her laughter followed him out the door.

* * *

He went straight to the cantina and didn't exhale until he'd downed two shots of whiskey. He laughed out loud, drawing the bartender's curious glance. He motioned for a refill.

"Bring me a bottle of Juma, too."

He'd just met the Boss Lady for the second time, and not only did he survive, but apparently he had impressed her. He raised his glass in a toast to himself. _Nicely played, Jaq_. He downed the whiskey. _And what was that thing with the robe?_ She must've been trying to trip him up. He'd heard plenty of stories about the dear Darth's wandering eye. Whoever that eye landed on usually ended up on the crispy end of Malak's lightsaber.

He picked up the bottle and paid his tab. As he was making his way out he glanced into the Pazaak room and grinned when he spotted Audra at one of the tables in the middle of a game. _Well, damn if it isn't my lucky day_. He waited until she looked up then beckoned her over with his finger. She acknowledged him with a nod, pointing to her cards on the table and motioning for him to join her. He half-smiled and shook his head before continuing on his way. He waited outside the door for a minute and sure enough, she came hurrying out, blowing right past him without even seeing him. She was heading back inside, looking adorably disappointed before she finally saw him standing there grinning.

"Oh, very funny," she said. "Why didn't you come over to the table?"

"I'm not really in the mood for Pazaak tonight." He grabbed her belt and pulled her in closer.

She eyed him suspiciously. "I know that look, Jaq."

"Yeah? Good. We can ditch the formalities, then. Let's go."

"Hmph. I don't know if I'm up for your particular kind of play tonight."

"Sure you are. Why else would you come after me?" he said, and started walking.

"You're some kind of asshole, you know that? Wait, dammit! I just meant… just, oh forget it. Never mind."

He laughed. He knew what she meant. He pushed her back against the wall.

"Let's not complicate things, Audra. Our friendship is so simple. There's a certain purity to it, y'know?" He ran his hand up under her skirt so that his meaning was crystal clear. "The more I hurt you, the more you like it. See? Simple. Now either follow me, or go back to your card game." He turned and departed again, smiling when he heard the click of her heels catching up with him. _Simple_.

It had been quite a day, and now that he had the entertainment lined up, tonight was looking even better. He took a swig from the bottle and passed it back to Audra. She was still pouting.

"Aw, come on, Audra." He swooped in to embrace her and dipped her backwards, causing her to giggle despite herself. "The night is young and you have amazing sex with me in your immediate future. What more could you possibly ask for?"

"Four point restraint?" she asked with a grin.

"Ooo, there's my girl," he replied, laying a kiss on her neck. _Yep, definitely looking better_.

* * *

_This 8 chapter tale was written back in April and for some reason I'm just now getting around to posting it here. And if it isn't obvious, I have a particular love of Scary Atton/Jaq. Thanks for reading!_


	2. Chapter 2

The infernal beeping of the communicator jarred him from his dreams. He stumbled over to it, reluctant to open his eyes yet. "Yeah?" he said groggily, squinting to look at the time. No self-respecting Sith would be awake at this hour.

A droid's voice replied. "Message from Lord Revan follows: Sending supplies via courier to your ship and your quarters. Should arrive shortly. Your presence is required in my chambers at 1900 hours. End message."

He blinked and shook his head, falling back onto the bed. Plenty of time to catch a few more hours of sleep. He was just drifting off when there was a loud banging on his door. He crushed a pillow over his head. The banging continued, even louder. "Ugh! I'm coming!"

He wrapped the sheet around him and saw from the vid screen it was Revan's Dark Jedi guard, the same one from last night, standing there with a box. He pushed the talk button. "Leave it by the door."

"Instructions were to deliver it to you, not your doorstep," the guard replied brusquely. When the door opened, he scowled. "I've got better things to do than wait on you. Here."

"For me? Oh, you shouldn't have," he answered in a sing-song voice. He took the box and tossed it inside, never taking his eyes off the guard.

The guard paused and snarled, "I don't like you, and now I know where you live." He poked him in the chest for emphasis. "You think you know pain, interrogator? I'll introduce you to a whole new level of pain. I know a lot of people who would pay to watch me do it, too. I might even let them get a crack at you, too…"

That was the thing about your average Dark Jedi. They talked. A lot. The guy could have immobilized him with the Force or choked him with it or any number of things, but no. He talked. Convenient though, because for all appearances he was leaning on the door jamb looking worried, but in reality, while the dufus was soliloquizing, he was retrieving the knife that he kept hidden there just for special times like this. When the Jedi reached to poke him again, he quickly and precisely inserted the knife into the jugular vein and jerked it left, severing his windpipe. He grabbed him and drug him inside and deposited him on the floor.

"You know where I live? Fat lot of good it'll do you now, huh?" A gurgling death-rattle was the only reply; the Jedi's shocked expression following him into death. He went to find some towels to clean up the mess outside the door, cursing the fact that he was going to have to dispose of a body before breakfast. _Now I know where you live_. Like it was a big secret. Like this was Nar Shaddaa or something. _Stupid Jedi_. Dark, Light or plaid, he hated them all.

Luckily, this time of morning, the Academy was pretty quiet save for the regular patrol, so he had no trouble slipping out unseen. He'd wrapped the body in a sheet and they didn't even blink, no doubt thinking it was his latest assignment that had refused to see the wonders of the Dark Side. He hauled the body to the crematory, placed it on the conveyor and waved after he threw the switch. _Bye, bye, Jedi. _

When he got back he finished cleaning and took a shower. As he was having some caffa his eyes fell on the box. Opening it, he found another, and inside it, a small holocron. _This must be the booster toy_ _that works with the torque_. It sent a subtle tingling sensation over his palm. His curiosity was peaked, but he couldn't open it, not being a Force user. He sat it aside. There was also a datapad in the bottom of the box. Now that was something he could use. He settled back into his chair and fired it up.

He'd read the entire thing in about two hours. The datapad contained pretty much everything known about Marisa Tal's life thus far. Marisa was 18 years old, standard. She'd been abandoned at the Enclave when she was a baby. Usually the Jedi went and snatched the Force sensitive kids. This one had literally shown up on their doorstep. He quickly did the math in his head and figured that Revan and Malak would have been around 11 or 12 when Marisa showed up.

He saw that none other than Vandar Tokare was her Master_._ _Well la de da_. She must be gifted if he took her under his high and mighty tutelage. She had excelled in all but a couple of her classes. In her weapons training, she struggled with traditional melee weapons but did pretty well after she built her lightsaber. Strong in the Force… yada, yada, yada… Exhibits a strong degree of empathy toward her peers. _Weakness_. Prone to excitable outbursts_. Emotional, also a weakness_. Tripped Master Vrook in the courtyard. He laughed at that. Infinite potential which if left undisciplined could be dangerous. _Standard Jedi banthashit_. Padawan had formed a close friendship and possibly a secretive romance with Padawan Garan. His death has left her despondent and unsocial. He made a mental note to find out more about this Garan. After that, the entries were sporadic and obviously the work of a spy. She was confined to the Enclave pretty much her whole life, but was actually put under lock and key for a while. It was only in the last month that she was released from lockdown. She still couldn't leave the Enclave. He closed the file and brought up her picture, staring at it and memorizing every detail.

He lay the pad down and stretched, wondering what little Jedi tricks she had up her sleeve. Whatever it was that had attracted Revan's attention and made the Jedi lock her away was no where to be found in the file. He frowned, not happy about that unknown quantity.

_

* * *

  
_

He spent the rest of the day memorizing the file, cleaning his personal weapons and making sure he had the little incidentals like tape, knock-out drops, kolto and rope packed in his bag of tricks. He liked to travel light. The real job wouldn't begin until he got his target back here.

He waited outside of Revan's doors for a minute before they opened and a new guard admitted him. "Are you new?" he asked, barely hiding a smirk.

"Just filling in. Hold here a moment," the guard said and went to announce him. Revan could plainly see that he was here if she looked up, but the Sith loved their little formalities. He noted Malak's absence with relief. Revan was looking incredibly edible this evening. The over-the-knee boots were a nice touch. Her voice shook him out of his reverie.

"You received the supplies?" she asked him, motioning for him to approach and take a seat.

"A holocron and a datapad, right?"

"Yes," she said. "You don't happen to know what happened to my guard, do you? He hasn't shown up and was last seen heading to your door."

He considered lying, but thought better of it. "He threatened me."

Her brow creased. "You killed him?"

_Oh, boy. I've got a bad feeling about this_. He cleared his throat. "Uh, yes, Lord Revan. But as I said-"

She cut him off. "Do you know how long he's been in my personal detail? You have no idea how much you've inconvenienced me." She glared at him.

He was regretting his honesty when he felt his throat start to close up, the pressure gradually increasing until he was well and truly choking. He watched her get up and go to the window, turning her back to him. _She won't kill me. She needs me for this mission. Just have to… _Stars began to appear and his vision began to tunnel. _Shit._

"Don't make the mistake of thinking that you're irreplaceable, Jaq." That was the last thing he heard before he lost consciousness.

The next thing he heard was laughter. He opened his eyes and tried to focus, as he gingerly rubbed his throat. Revan was still by the window, talking with Malak. He must not have been out that long.

"Did Wenali provoke him?" Malak asked.

"That doesn't matter. Why are you here, anyway?" she asked impatiently.

"Forgive me for disturbing you. The latest report on the Mandalorian remnants has arrived."

"Fine. Leave it and go. I have more to discuss with Jaq when he wakes."

"As you wish. I do hope your work won't keep you away from me tonight." Malak whispered, taking her hand. She smiled and said something he couldn't quite hear, which he was grateful for.

"He's awake," Malak said on his way out.

She turned and looked at him. "Good. Now, did you read the files?"

He went to speak and coughed instead, grimacing from the pain. She sighed and waited, like it was his fault his throat felt like he's swallowed fire. He saw her motion to one of her attendants, who brought a pitcher of water and poured him a glass. It helped somewhat. He was able to talk, anyway. "Yes," he croaked, sounding like a boy whose voice hadn't quite broken yet. He tried clearing his throat. _Ow__. Bad idea._ He decided to try whispering. Finding that doable, he went over the details with her and asked about the holocron and the torque.

"The holocron and the torque work together. They will keep you shielded from detection," she replied. "You must have both on your person to ensure optimal effectiveness."

He nodded. "Ok. Can you find out anything about this Garan that she was friends with? I think there might be a cover there."

"Yes. It shouldn't take long. I'll get the information to you before you leave."

"Anything else you think I should know?" he asked, hoping she'd decided to come clean about her motivation.

"No. You may leave tomorrow. And Jaq, there is no where in the galaxy that you can hide from me. Remember that. Do not fail."

"Yes, Lord Revan," he answered respectfully and stood up, thinking he'd been dismissed.

"I have a personal question for you before you leave."

"Oh?" _As in uh-oh._

"In my background check on you, I discovered certain… proclivities. It seems your work follows you home."

Damn if she wasn't thorough. "What can I say?" he replied coyly.

She gave him a bemused smile. "It's evident that you enjoy delivering pain. But do you enjoy receiving it?"

_Now she's just being cruel._ He decided to drop some philosophy on her to try and get out of this awkward conversation. "Pain can be transformative; when you submit to it, and when you deliver it. It's a gift. When everything else falls away, pain remains. It will purify you if you let it," he explained. _Except the pain in my throat, which is just annoying._

She stared at him for a moment before answering. "I do look forward to your return, Jaq," she replied at last.

"I'll send my first report after I get a handle on the situation at the Enclave," he said with a quick nod. He exhaled with relief after the door closed behind him. _That was all kinds of weird._

As he lay in bed later, he found he couldn't sleep. Even though he couldn't help but be tickled pink that he'd impressed Revan, it was a dangerous thing to be close to her, not to mention Malak. The slightest misstep could be fatal. Now that he was definitely on their radar, he would have to be extra vigilant. Killing her guard had been stupid on his part. He was lucky to be breathing.

He went over the details of the mission in his head for the umpteenth time. Finally he got up and dressed, grabbed his bag and headed to his office to make sure everything was ready. He could catch a couple hours sleep there before heading out tomorrow morning.


	3. Chapter 3

Having checked the angle of the sun to make sure it wouldn't give him away, he flattened the grass in front of him and raised his binoculars, focusing on the outer courtyard of the Jedi Enclave. He was well concealed lying flat as he was. He spotted two doors and a ventilation shaft on the rear part of the roof. As the door on the left opened, he noted a protocol droid inside. _Heh. Only the Jedi would use a protocol droid as a sentry_.

Several people sat around the courtyard, enjoying the cool breeze that swept up from the plains. He scanned it slowly, but didn't spot his target. He reached in his bag beside him and pulled out a sack of caf beans, tossing one in his mouth as he settled in and waited.

Two hours later, dusk was falling fast. Only three people remained on the patio. He was about to find a new position when movement registered on the Eastern door. He quickly rubbed his eyes and refocused. Vandar Tokare exited the door and beside him… someone who looked like his target. He hit the low light switch on the binoculars. It had to be her – right height, right build, blonde hair in the same tight bun as in her picture. She and Vandar walked to the center fountain and sat down. He zoomed in as tight as he could as she turned her face in his direction. He smiled. _Hello, little Jedi_.

He observed her for half an hour before they went back inside. He threw the binoculars and caf beans back into his bag and left his hiding spot.

The next four days passed much the same, with him observing the Enclave and his target when she appeared. It was tedious but necessary. He wasn't in the habit of strolling into Jedi nests and wasn't about to do it haphazardly. It was bad enough that so many of them would see his face when he'd been so careful to keep a low profile.

He'd seen his target a few times now. Twice she was alone. Both times she sat on a stone planter on the patio and gazed out into the wild of the plains, a dreamy look on her face. Given her age and her situation, he guessed she wasn't thinking about how much she loved it there. It would be easy to gain her trust if he could get closer to her.

Mid-day seemed to be the low-point of activity in the Enclave, so that's when he planned to have a mechanical malfunction in the speeder he'd rented from some mercs camped fifteen miles out on the plains. He rigged it to appear that it had overheated and parked it just outside the rear courtyard. He pretended to tinker and it wasn't long before he was approached by a male Padawan. _Perfect_. The kid looked around the same age as his target, meaning he probably knew her. He engaged the young man in mech talk, glad when it became obvious that he knew nothing about speeders. He lamented the fact that there was no place to buy replacement parts.

"There's a droid shop inside the Enclave, maybe they'd be able to help you out," the boy said.

"Guess it can't hurt to check it out. I need to speak with Master Vrook anyway," he said.

"I hate to tell you this, but Master Vrook's away. He left yesterday."

He was the picture of disappointment and distress. "Is he coming back soon?"

"He's due back day after tomorrow. Hey, at least you'll have time to fix your speeder. There are a few guest rooms that the Order rents to visitors."

"Damn. Well, I guess I don't have a choice. I have to talk to him."

"Come on, I'll show you where the shop is. Name's Kardag, by the way," the boy said, extending his hand.

He shook the kid's hand and smiled. "Zach Breton. Thanks for your help." He saw the look of recognition at the name.

"No problem. You said your name was Breton? Did you know Garan?"

_Heavy sigh_. "Yeah. He was my brother." _Faraway, haunted look? Check_. "That's why I'm here." _Sympathy oozing off young Padawan? Check_. "Um, if you don't mind, I'd rather not have to answer a bunch of questions about Garan while I'm here. It's still pretty painful, you know?"

"Sure, I understand. I didn't know him that well, but a few of my friends did. It was hard on them."

He nodded gravely and silently thanked the Great Gizka for his incredible luck.

* * *

He spoke to the droid dealer, who knew someone who could have the parts here by tomorrow. From there, Kardag took him to talk to the Jedi who handled the guest accommodations. He managed to keep his heartbeat and respiration normal as he passed through the Enclave, but it was a concerted effort. As they approached the Jedi he really hoped that Revan's trinkets lived up to their promise of helping him avoid attracting attention.

Kardag introduced him by name, but shook his head when the Jedi's eyebrows shot up. The Jedi looked like he was about to question him about it, but let it go and smiled. "We do have a room available and you're welcome to use it while you're here. Did you arrive by ship?"

_No, I flew in using my arms_. He heard the rim-shot in his mind, but bit his tongue and smiled. "Yeah, a freighter delivering supplies to the farms south of here." The farms where they sent Padawans who were deemed not good enough to be blessed with a Master. "Pilot said I could hitch a ride out with him, too. We set up camp out there, but without the speeder I'm kinda stuck."

The Jedi peppered him with questions and small talk all the way to the dormitory style room. Nothing he wasn't prepared for, though. As the Jedi wished him well and turned to leave, he stopped him. "Uh, I'm not going to be bothering anyone, am I? Heh, I'd hate to annoy a Jedi, you know?" he said with an aw-shucks inflection.

"Don't concern yourself. You're welcome anywhere except the Council Chamber, the training rooms and the sub-level. Enjoy your stay and please, let me know if I can assist you in any way," the Jedi said.

When the door closed he exhaled loudly, then laughed. _This is too weird._ He sat down and pulled out his datapad to go over the layout of the Enclave again. The dormitories were on the sub-level, accessed by a single door. It would be tough to access. He'd try the courtyard patio first. At the very least he could gather more Intel. And at the most, he could be out of this place by tonight. He was fairly certain that Kardag would tell his target about his arrival. If his luck held, she would find him. He checked the time and saw that there was about an hour of daylight left.

Reaching into his boot, he removed his claw, one of his favorite little toys. It fit over his thumb, curving around to a wickedly sharp hollow point. The small ampoule attached to the outer base allowed him to load it with any kind of liquid – poison, kolto, acid or knock-out drops. A little press with his index finger was all it took to deliver the liquid to whatever unfortunate soul found themselves on the business end of it. He opened his bag and pulled out the vial of knock-out drops and loaded the ampoule full. Jedi were sometimes resistant, but rarely immune to the powerful, illegal and highly addictive sedative, especially if the dose was high enough. He replaced it inside the sleeve in his boot and stood and stretched. His neck had a few kinks in it from all the hours he'd spent glued to the binoculars. _Man, what I wouldn't give for a full body massage at that place on Nar Shaddaa_. Maybe after this mission he'd take a little trip to reward himself. He took a deep breath and slowly blew it out, then shouldered his bag and headed for the patio.

He kept his head up and didn't try to avoid eye contact as he passed through the Enclave. He blanked his mind and kept an oh-so-pleasant smile on his face. When he got to the patio, he headed over to the planter where he'd spotted his target sitting before. She wasn't around presently, so he hopped up on it and sat down. It gave him the advantage that no one could see his face, but he could eavesdrop quite well. He took out his caf beans and pretended to be admiring the sunset.

Most of the chatter that he filtered was useless, but he did discover which side of the dormitories the women were housed in. He caught part of a conversation about a droid malfunctioning and crashing the mainframe. It was only partially back on line. He could try slicing the system if he could locate an out of the way terminal. His attention was drawn over his shoulder by that nagging feeling that someone was staring at him. He casually turned and there she was, pretty as a picture. He smiled politely and turned back around. After a few seconds he picked up his bag and stood, brushed off of his backside, then strolled toward the door of the Enclave, making eye contact with her as he passed. She headed toward the planter.

"Oh, hey! Are these yours?" she asked. He spun on his heel, then smiled.

"Yes. Yes they are." He walked back over to her and took the bag of caf beans from her, his finger grazing her hand. "Thanks," he said, popping one in his mouth.

She made a face. "You eat those raw?"

He nodded, smiling mischievously. "I believe in going straight to the source. Sugar and cream are for sissies." She giggled. He held the bag out. "Want one?"

She waved him off. "No, thank you."

He turned the smile on a little more. "No? You wound me. Here I'm trying to offer you a finder's fee and you shut me down. Tsk, tsk."

"Well I appreciate the thought, but really, no fee required."

"Fine. Thank you for rescuing my beans, even if you are a sissy."

"I'm not a sissy!" she laughed. Her eyes left him and went to the door behind him. Someone was coming. Time to break this little exchange off. Kardag probably hadn't told her about him yet.

"If you say so," he smiled.

"I didn't catch your name, bean boy," she said.

_Bean boy_. She had a sense of humor. "It's Zach." No reaction from her, other than a cute smile. "Thanks again… "

"Marisa," she said.

"Marisa. Nice talking to you Marisa," he said and walked away, giving a wide berth to the approaching figure of Vandar.

He headed to his room, pausing as he passed an empty room with a computer terminal. No security cameras, either. He made a mental note of its location and isolation.

* * *

Five hours later, he returned and sliced the system. He discovered that the dorms had security cameras, but finding the override codes was a piece of cake. He also found room assignments, which was a very welcome surprise.

As he exited the room, he almost bumped right into a Jedi. He laughed awkwardly. "Oh, sorry," he said sheepishly and side-stepped the woman, who regarded him suspiciously.

"Are you lost?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah. I got turned around. The guest rooms are this way, right?"

"What were you doing in there?"

He smiled and pointed to the terminal. "Looking for a map. This place is really confusing." _God she's gorgeous. Look at those tits. Wonder what it's like to fuck a Jedi? If I play my cards right, I could be blissfully nailing that sweet cunt to the wall ten minutes from now_. He made sure there were graphic visuals to accompany his inner dialog. He took a step toward her, casually leaning against the wall. "You know, I still haven't found the showers. Could you maybe show me where they are?" Seeing her blush, he followed up with an impish grin.

The woman looked flustered and pointed. "You'll find them down the hall on the right." She all but ran away from him. He rolled his eyes. Lust was his favorite weapon to distract female Jedi. If pressed, he could pull it off with the males, too, but that was more work and far less entertaining.

* * *

He laid low for much of the morning, since it was the busiest time of day at the Enclave. Early afternoon found him setting out for a walk so he could file a progress report without fear of it being intercepted.

_Target located. Estimated time until acquisition: _

He paused, running it over in his mind. Vrook would be back tomorrow. If the opportunity arose, he'd grab her tonight, but it was still early in the game. He finished the message: _Unknown_. He hit send and headed back.

He stopped by the droid merchant and picked up the parts that he didn't really need and went out to perform the repairs on the speeder that really didn't need to happen. A few minutes in, his target appeared on the patio with Vandar. They went and sat down. From the looks of it he was no doubt imparting some nugget of wisdom to her. She looked distracted. He caught her glancing over at him more than once. He stood and wiped his hands with a rag, watching her. When she glanced his way again, he smiled. He couldn't read anything on her face, but Vandar turned and looked at him, making him feel like a spotlight was shining directly on him. He threw the rag down and collected the tools he'd borrowed from the droid merchant, busying his mind with mental Pazaak. When he looked up again, Vandar had returned to his conversation with his target.

He returned the tools and was walking back to his room when she came around a corner, obviously looking for him.

"Oh hi. What's the rush?" he asked.

"I'm glad I found you. Kardag told me that you're Garan's brother."

He nodded, pulling a slightly annoyed face. "That's right, though I asked Kardag to respect my privacy while I was here."

"I'm sorry, it's just… Garan and I were very close. I need to talk to you about his death." She looked uncomfortable. "This is not a good place, though. Can you meet me tonight?"

"You know something about Garan's death? That's what I came here to talk to Master Vrook about."

"There's more to it. Look, just meet me by the planter on the patio in 3 hours, ok?"

"Alright. I'll see you then," he said. She hurried away. Now he was curious about this little bit of apparent intrigue. He couldn't let it distract him, though. He went to his room to prepare.

* * *

She was already there when he exited from the Enclave. He glanced around, annoyed that there were two people still outside. Cursing them under his breath, he approached her.

She launched into a long, angsty recounting of poor Garan's fate. The more she talked, the more he tuned her out, listening only for talking points. His mind was occupied by other things. He was planning; visually taking note of the thickness of her wrists, waist and ankles, the relative musculature of her arms vs. her legs and so on. Practical things. The robe made it more difficult, but he was able to get a fairly good idea of what he had to work with.

The gist of what she had to say was that Garan had died while performing a task assigned by his Master. She felt like it was questionable because Vrook knew of Garan's heart condition but still required him to fast and make the journey to some cave to find crystals. He was provided no map, no information and no assistance.

"I didn't know he had a heart condition," he said sadly, kicking at the ground. "They took him from our family so young. He did send a few letters over the years, but he never mentioned it. He must've inherited it from Dad." He paused for reflection. "Why are you telling me this?"

"You're his brother. You should know the truth."

Head bowed, he nodded. "I have to ask, and you can tell me if it's too personal…" _Awkward silence_. "No, never mind."

She reached out and touched his arm. _Good sign_. "No, it's ok, Zach. Ask," she insisted.

"Were you and Garan – you know?"

Her face told him the answer before she spoke, and it was so sweet it made him want to taste her. "The Jedi forbid such relationships," she said, her face falling into a well-rehearsed mask of dogma.

_Don't lose her now, Jaq_. "I know what the rules say, that's common knowledge. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen, though. Never mind. Forget I said anything. I guess I was just hoping that Garan got to know what it feels like to be in love before he died."

She looked like she would burst out crying. She opened her mouth to respond when a voice interrupted her.

"Marisa. You shouldn't be out here at this hour." He turned to see a male Jedi looking at them. A Master, from the robes. He'd seen him before - Kavar, if he wasn't mistaken.

"I know, Master Kavar. Zach and I were just talking." She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Later." She looked at him, regret in her eyes as she left him there and followed Master Plan-fucker, who for his part, stared curiously at him before following his target back inside.

_Shit, shit, shit!_ He was this close to asking her to take a walk with him, sure that he could twist her sympathy into acquiescence. Oh well, he consoled himself, a little challenge makes for more fun. Time for plan B.

* * *

_A/N 05/2013: Welp, having a go at revising this story from 2008, so will be reposting chapters as I get them done. :)_


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